A Twist Of Fate
by chubbybunniez
Summary: In order to stop a war between the two kingdoms, Sakura haruno is betrothed to Sasuke uchiha; whom she's never met before. How is she going to survive being with a stranger and living in an entirely different kingdom? [Sasusaku] A/N: I've republished this fic with some minor adjustments! But I'll still update here too :)
1. Chapter 1 - The marriage

**A/N: Hey guys!Welcome to the first chapter of A Twist Of Fate! Enjoy**

\--Chapter 1--

As she stared blankly into the body-length mirror, tears started to well up in her emerald eyes. It was the day for her to leave her home. It was the day for her to bid farewell to her friends. It was the day for her to be wedded into another kingdom.

Sakura haruno, is the princess of the kingdom of cherry blossoms. She's the only daughter of King Kizashi and Queen Mebuki. The citizens had given her the title of "The Pink Kunoichi", for she is the kingdom's strongest kunoichi and the best medic nin.

Seeing that the tension between his kingdom and the leaf kingdom was growing stronger by the day, King Kizashi had decided to make a deal with the leaf kingdom in order to prevent an imminent war. At his request, King Fugaku had agreed to set up an arranged marriage between his son, Sasuke Uchiha, and King Kizashi's daughter, Sakura haruno. It was a strategic move. Not only does it dissolve the tension between the two kingdoms, it also prevents other kingdoms from invading their land.

When she first heard the news of the engagement, Sakura was devastated. She was totally against the idea of marrying a complete stranger for political purposes. In addition, she was only 19! What if this prince she was marrying turned out to be an old geezer who does nothing but drink all day? Nonetheless, there was absolutely no way she could avoid this marriage since it was the only way to dissolve the tension and prevent a war with the other kingdom.

She wore a white kimono, adorned with gold embroidery. Her long,pink hair was tied up into a neat but elegant bun, sercured with a hairpin with a golden flower on top. Sakura was indeed gorgeous, with the perfect built and fair complexion. However, none of that mattered to her at the moment. For she was still sulking about her wedding.

"Lady Sakura, it's time for the ceremony to begin! Let's head out now!" chirped Shizune, Sakura's personal maid.

"Alright..." Sakura replied in a rather monotone voice.

"Lady Sakura, i know I'm not in the position to speak but...I'm sure you'll be able to find happiness in the other kingdom, so cheer up!"

"But...I won't be able to to see my precious friends anymore, including you, Shizune-san. I'll really miss you " The pink haired kunoichi responded with a frown.

Shizune's eyes glisten with tears as she pulled the princess into a bear hug and whispered, "I'll miss you too".

That was the last time they spoke to each other as Sakura was led towards the ceromony.

The sounding of drums signalled the arrival of the bride. As she walked down the aisle, she tried her best to ignore the stares and the constant whispers from the audience. If she was nervous, she'd definitely didn't want anyone to know, including the man who was standing infront of her.

"Pardon?" mouthed Sasuke uchiha as he stood infront of the King and Queen.

"As I've said, you are to marry the princess of the neighbouring kingdom. It is the only way to avoid war." King Fugaku spoke with a serious tone.

Sasuke wanted to oppose to this engagement for heaven's sake. He had not seen this coming. "Marriage!?At this age?I'm only 19 for goodness sake!" Of course, those words were left unspoken, for sasuke was a man of few words.

Sasuke Uchiha is the second son born to King Fugaku and Queen Mikoto. Because he was the younger son, the king had expected more from him. Indeed, Itachi uchiha was perfect in every single way. He was great at ninjutsu,taijutsu,genjutsu and everything else. Sasuke was expected to perform just as well as his older brother.Or even better. The constant pressure from every angle caused him to be rather reserved and resentful towards his older brother.

"I understand...Father" he said with fists clenched beside his body.

There was no way he could escape this marriage...no way in hell.

As both of them drank the ceremonial tea and said their vows as husband and wife, Sakura looked up to see how her "husband" looked like. It was then their eyes met for the first time. Emerald met with oryx. They just stared into each other's eyes. No words said. No expression shown.

She noted how the uchiha had a lean face, sharp nose, and a defined jaw line. His spiky hair was jet-black and his bangs covered his forehead. How was she going to put it...he was simply handsome. So...this is who I'll be marrying...

By the time the wedding ceremony ended, it was time to prepare for the banquet to celebrate the uniting of the two kingdoms.

But as for Sakura haruno...or Sakura uchiha, she was in no mood to celebrate with them. She was just too tired to do anything. She wanted to nap so badly but of course, she can't. The kunoichi is in a different palace and she needed to get use to the new environment. And her new partner.Gosh...she hasn't even spoken a word to him yet. And they're already married!

"Greetings, Sakura-san" Greeted king fugaku along with his wife. "We have been looking foward to meet you."

"I'm grateful to be here, your majesty" Sakura bowed her head gracefully with respect.

It was her first time actually meeting the King and Queen,since the engagement was rushed and decided less than a week ago.

"It's so wonderful to have such a beautiful girl as my daughter-in-law!Are you keen in the ninja arts?" asked Queen Mikoto, who glanced at her son, who stood next to sakura, to see his reaction.

Ahhh...so they haven't heard of my reputation back in my homeland. Should i say something to impress them or should i just nod my head?

"Yes, your majesty. I'm a kunoichi and I'm specialized in medical ninjutsu."This made Sasuke raise a brow and focused his attention on the pink-haired princess.

"Hmm?I see...so you're capable of protecting yourself. And here i thought Sasuke was going to do all the protecting." mused the king.He was definitely impressed simply because the princess was a kunoichi.

"I sincerely hope you'll enjoy tonight's banquet. Sasuke will be showing you around the palace and introducing you to the guests." Fugaku looked at his son expectantly and received a nod in response.

As the two left the throne room, Sasuke stopped walking and turned his head towards her. Sakura responded back with a questioning look with lips formed into a thin line. Well, this is awkward; thought Sakura as they stood in the hallways, the atmosphere being filled with silence.

"Let's go to the training grounds." spoke the young man in a deep voice.

"Okay...wait,what?"

"Let's spar."

"Oh..alright"

"Meet back here in 20 minutes"

After he said that, She was led away by the handmaids to the changing rooms.She had not expected their first conversation to be like that. Sakura had expected him to confront her about her thoughts and feelings about this arranged marriage. But...a spar did seem refreshing to her. She really needed to get out of this tight outfit.

After the two changed out of their traditinal clothing, they met at the hallway. Sasuke wore a navy blue sweater with a high collar and black sweats. Sakura wore her red qipao dress sercured with a black obi and black tights(The Last outfit).

"Ahhh it feels much more comfortable now with this attire. Don't u think so too?"

"Hn."

Wow such an enthusiastic reply. She was already trying her best in initiating a conversation with her so-called "husband" and yet he simply brushes it off with a "hn"? What was that supposed to mean anyway?And why was she so conscious about it?

Once they reached the training grounds, Sasuke turned his attention towards her and took a step closer.

"Are you good at taijutsu?"

"I guess so?" she replied,hands fidgeting with her elbow protectors.

Why did she sound so unsure? Isn't she the strongest kunoichi in her kingdom?She chose not to speak anymore of her abilities but rather to show them during their fight.

"Oh? So i don't have to hold back?" his lips formed into a small smirk.

"Yeah." she nodded her head confidently.

"Then let's begin."

 **A/N: Sooooo, what do you guys think of the storyline so far?They're still shinobi, the only difference is that they're royalty! I hope that Sasuke is not too Ooc!But at the same time i want him to open up to sakura real soon. Who do you think will win the spar? Haha I'll update as soon as i can!Cya then!!**


	2. Chapter 2 - The spar

**A/N: Hey everyone! Welcome back to chapter 2 of ATOF. This is actually my first time writing a fight scene since this is my first fanfic haha. I hope it'll appear clearly in your imagination as it does in mine. Enjoy!!**

\--Chapter 2--

"Then let's begin."The uchiha prince spoke as he jumped a few metres back, putting distance between them. Sakura could feel his oryx eyes watching her every movement. This made her chest burn with excitement. She was fired up for this fight.

Within a split second, Sasuke flash stepped behind her, hoping to catch her off guard. He didn't. As soon as his feet touched the ground, she spun around and aimed a kick at his abdomen. She's fast...thought the young man as he ducked to dodge her kick. Right after that, Sakura clenched her hands into fists and aimed them downwards where he was currently at. Sasuke evaded the attack with ease as her fist made contact with the ground.

However that wasn't a punch expected from a girl with a small built. This punch made the ground crack. No, that was an understatement, the impact was like a mini earthquake;the entire training ground was in ruins. He had to jump upwards to avoid being swallowed by the huge cracks formed in the ground. This made an opening for the kunoichi - she flashed stepped to where he was in the air and made an attempt to punch his jaw. Sasuke easily grabbed her fist and aimed a kick at her stomach, which she dodge by twisting her body;and freeing herself from his hold.

They landed on the ground with a couple of metres between them, both panting for breath and wiping sweat off their foreheads. This spar was indeed fast paced - not even a minute had passed. All they've been doing was dodging and evading attacks from each other. Nobody had landed a single blow on the other person. But something seemed off to the pink haired princess.

"You're holding back. Aren't you?" Sakura spoke in a low tone. She realised that Sasuke had just been defending for most of the fight. He was fast, but she felt that he had the ability to go faster.

He stared into her emerald eyes which were glaring at him furiously. Well, if he were to go all out, he would have to activate his dojutsu-the sharingan. And fairly speaking, that would put him in an advantageous position, since this was a taijutsu battle and he could predict her every move with his sharingan. To be honest, he had underestimated the princess. He did not expect her to match up to his speed; which wasn't even his true speed. In fact, he'd bet that she could match up with him even at his fastest. Doesn't that mean that she's also holding back? This was interesting.

"Hn. Speak for yourself." Smirked the black haired prince as he waited for her reaction.

"Wha-?" stammered the kunoichi as her cheeks blushed in light shades of pink. She was going all-out, wasn't she? Maybe, just maybe, she did not dare to injure him - being aware that her inhuman strength could break bones. And maybe she did not want to showcase all her true abilities, since she just met this man today. Who knows?They may be enemies the next day and she didn't want him knowing her weaknesses. God, this was frustrating.

"Tch. Let's head back to the palace." The young man finally spoke, after watching her reaction for a few seconds,seemingly knowing what she was thinking about. She was really amusing to look at. He didn't really bother about her holding back or not. Even though he loves sparring, this spar was meant for him to relax and relieve himself of his stress. The wedding preparation had really worn him out mentally.

"A-alright." responded Sakura, still embarrassed about what had happened.

"You know...you're stronger than most of the kunoichi in this kingdom. And you're not even using your true strength." the uchiha stated plainly.

His statement came as no surprise to her as she was the "Pink kunoichi" back in her kingdom. However what came as a surprise was that it made her heart skip a beat for some unknown reason. She tried to maintain a straight face. If she was flattered, she didn't want Sasuke to know.

"Well, taijutsu is my forte. Since i have perfect chakra control, I'm capable of enhancing my strength and speed." She stated with the best neutral tone she could muster.

"Ah. I see."

They continued walking back to the palace in comfortable silence, leaving the ruined training grounds behind. Kakashi is going to lecture me about this...sweat dropped Sasuke as he glanced at the wreckage for the last time.

Once they reached the palace, Sasuke gave her a quick tour around the palace - the dining hall, ballroom, gardens, guestrooms and so on. As he spoke about the directions to the various places, Sakura nodded her head intently. She understood everything-no, not really. At the fast rate this tour was going, she couldn't absorb all the information he was giving. Even though she excels in her studies and has the skills to memorise things in an instant, she was simply too tired to take note of what he was saying. She was definitely going to get lost in this huge place.

"You don't understand a thing, do you?" Sasuke sighed while the kunoichi slowly nodded her head. It seemed like she had already given up trying to memorise the palace layout. He didn't blame her though. Since he finished the tour of the entire palace in less than ten minutes since they needed to prepare for the banquet shortly. They could've spent more time on this, if it wasn't for his sudden need for the spar; which took up most of the time that was supposed to be used for the introduction of the palace. Well, she'll get used to it soon i guess?

When they were in the hallways, Sasuke signalled one of the servants to come.

"She will be your personal handmaid" He spoke

as the girl approached them and bowed in respect.

"Greetings, Prince Sasuke and Princess Sakura. Congratulations on your marriage. My name is Mitsuha Nanako. Your highness, it is my greatest honour to serve you as your personal handmaid." The girl spoke politely as she focused her attention on Sakura. She was a petite lady, with shoulder length brown hair and blue eyes.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Sakura smiled brightly at the servant girl. She seems like a nice girl and Sakura had the feeling that they would get along well.

"It's time for you to prepare for the banquet. She'll help you get ready." The prince stated, signalling Mitsuha to lead Sakura to the changing room.

"Erm see you later i guess." spoke Sakura as she spun around to follow her new handmaiden. Sasuke watched them as they turned the corner and went out of view. Something was off...or was it just his imagination?He stood there for a moment before dismissing the thought and headed to his changing room.

"Mitsuha-san, how old are you?" the princess asked out of curiosity.

"I'm 17, Your highness."

"So you're 2 years younger than me. That makes you my younger sister!" chirped Sakura. The girl blushed and shook her head abruptly.

"No, Your highness! How can someone as lowly as me-"

"It's okay, Mitsuha-san. I don't care about positions, i believe that everyone should be treated equally." Intercepted the pink-haired kunoichi as Mitsuha widened her eyes and stared at her in disbelief.

"T-Thank you...Your highness"

Sasuke stood infront of the mirror. He was in the same attire he wore this morning; a navy blue kimono adorned with gold embroidery, the uchiha crest embroided on his back. He stared blankly into the mirror, deep in thought. There was something strange about that servant girl...but what?

 **A/N: And that's the end of chapter 2! I just realised that I'm bad at writing lengthy chapters but i guess short and sweet is cool too Haha. Please review cuz i love reviews!**


	3. Chapter 3 - The banquet

**A/N: Woah, i think i update pretty fast haha. Please enjoy chapter 3 of ATOF!!!**

\--Chapter 3--

"All done!" announced Mitsuha, guiding the princess to a mirror.

"W-Wow." Sakura gasped in awe as she looked at herself. Her make-up was done in such a way which made her skin glimmer with youthfulness- though she was still a teen. Her pink hair was braided into a modern french braid, with her bangs elegantly framing her face. It appears that Mitsuha-san's style was entirely different from Shizune-san's. Even though she was wearing the same kimono from this morning, there was a totally different vibe to it.Shizune-san would stick to the traditions and give her the usual "mature" makeover; which made Sakura appear to be overflowing with maturity and elegance. On the other hand, Mitsuha-san's style was modern and trendy. It made Sakura feel less tense.

"How did you do it?" asked Sakura, still amazed by her skills.

"My older sister taught me." she answered with a small smile.

"Ahh, so you have an older sister?She must be amazing too"mused Sakura

"Y-Yes,Your highness." Stammered the servant girl. "It's time for the banquet to start, Your highness." She continued as she led the princess to the doorway to meet her husband.

"Hey." Sakura greeted once she came face to face with the prince. Sasuke acknowledged with a nod and held his hand out for her to hold. She was taken aback by this gesture and hesitated for a moment. She was definitely not used to this kind of stuff. The Uchiha, being amused by her shyness, smirked and rolled his eyes teasingly. "Come on already, my arm is getting tired" Sakura sighed and held his hand as they made their way towards the ballroom, leaving Mitsuha by the hallway.

Once Sasuke no longer felt the handmaid's presence, he turned his head towards his partner. "Hey...about that servant girl-"He trailed off, unsure of how to say it.

"She's an assassin who's after my life. Am i right?" Sakura continued casually.

His obsidian eyes widened with surprise. "How did you find out?"

"Ahh...i noticed her gaze when she first introduced herself. Those eyes were probably harbouring resentment towards me and my kingdom." She answered with a sigh.

Sakura had expected plenty of assassination attempts when she got married. Although this marriage was supposed to stop a political war, there'll no doubt be a handful of citizens who opposed this. She was just unsettled as a girl as young as Mitsuha-san would attempt to kill her. She noticed that whenever Mitsuha followed her from behind, she would sense strong bloodlust looming at her back. And whenever Mitsuha smiled at her, she could see her teeth grining against each other. To put it in simple terms, Sakura could feel pure hatred seething out from this girl. What made her that way? And who was the mastermind?

"Erm Sasuke."She paused as she realised that she's spoken his name for the first time.

"She'll probably try something during the banquet. But she'll have to lead me to a secluded area for that." Sakura concluded.

"Hn. So all you have to do is to not follow her." he said with a raised brow.

"No. I'll let her lead me away. Because the person who sent her would probably be there, since it's unlikely that she'd be able to kill me."

"Then, we'll be able to find out who's behind this?" Sasuke gazed into her emerald eyes as she nodded confidently. Who knew she was this intelligent? It's his first time meeting someone who wasn't fazed with assassinations and would instead predict the enemy's next moves. She wasn't just strong, she was smart too.

"So I'll come in after the mastermind makes his appearance?"

"No, they're only after me. So I'll have to deal with them alone. Anyways, i bet i can beat them in less than a minute." Sakura smirked confidently. There was no way she was going to involve anyone else in her mess...she would blame herself if anyone got hurt because of her.

"Hn...I see.Let's go greet the guests." He shrugged the subject off and led her into the ballroom.

"TEME!" Shouted a blonde hair man from across the room. This made most of the people focus their attention on Sasuke. He facepalmed with his free hand and sighed a deep breath. Now everyone's heard his nickname the blonde had given him.Sakura giggled at his embarrassment.As the young man approached them, she could feel the energy radiating off him.

"This is Uzumaki Naruto, the general of the Leaf shinobi force." he spoke casually, quickly forgetting his embarrassment from earlier on. Naruto looked at the princess with his ocean blue eyes for a couple of seconds. He grinned widely and offered his hand, saying "It's a pleasure to meet you!Sakura-chan!" she smiled at his greeting and shook his hand firmly. The blonde wore a black tuxedo, similar to all the other men in the ballroom. Sakura felt weird being the only one wearing a kimono, along with Sasuke. So this was how everyone recognized the bride and groom.She laughed internally.

"Wow Teme, I'm impressed.Your wife is beautiful!" Naruto smirked mischievously.

"Hn. You shouldn't be saying those words when you're already engaged, dobe."

"Hehehe, you've got me there" the blonde laughed nervously. "OH you've not met my fiance!" Naruto sped off, only to return with a young women holding his hand.

"This is Hinata Hyuga, the heir to the Hyuga clan and the girl whom I'm going to marry!" He announced with pride,making Hinata blush in a deep shade of red.

"C-Congratulations on your marriage, Your highness." she stammered shyly. Sakura smiled at this girl's gentleness.

"Please, you may call me Sakura" she spoke with a friendly grin. Hinata mirrored her expression and called her "Sakura-san" instead. Ehhh, she's such a kind person-thought Sakura to herself. The Hyuga heiress had long, dark purple hair, with the signature Hyuga dojutsu-the byakugan. Her skin complexion was as fair as snow and she wore an elegant lavender dress. She was indeed beautiful. Sakura hoped she would be good friends with her, otherwise she would feel lonely without any girl friends around.

This thought led her to recall her bestfriend from her homeland, Ino yamanaka. How she was going to miss spending time with her. Ino was the person whom she's known for all her life. She was the one who made her childhood so colourful. Although they fought several times because of a petty rivalry, they've never failed to reconciled with each other. Their friendship was stronger than anything, and Sakura was sure going to miss her. A lot.

Later that evening, Sakura met Tenten; a gifted weapons specialist, Shikamaru Nara; a genius battle strategist, Rock Lee; a hot-blooded commander, Neji Hyuga; Hinata's cousin , and Temari; ambassador of the kingdom of Sand.

It was a lot to take in, considering the number of names and positions that she needs to remember. They all seemed warm and friendly to her. Maybe she'll get along just fine with them-she thought with a smile.

"Sakura-san! Is it true your teacher was Tsunade-sama!?" Tenten asked, eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"Ahh, yes she was. She's the one who taught me all about medical ninjutsu and everything else." The princess said with a huge grin.

"I've heard you surpassed her at the age of 15." The lazy young man commented.

"What!?So not only is she beautiful, she's also strong as a kunoichi? Sakura-san is indeed perfect! I love maidens who are youthful and-"

"Watch your mouth Lee, she's already married" Neji sighed at his antics, as he watched the youthful man come back to reality and perform a 90-degrees bow towards the married couple.

"Oh.My apologies, Your highnesses. I've stepped out of line." His face still directed towards the marbled floor.

"It's alright, Lee...raise your head." Sasuke spoke up. He sighed, although he's known Lee for years, he's still so serious when it comes to trivial matters like this. Well, that's how he is...because he's so earnest and hardworking, he's been able to command his troops with so much effectiveness.

"It's okay, Lee-san. Thanks for the compliment!" spoke Sakura with a polite smile as the man held his breath and blushed slightly.

"Heh, i assume you're very popular with men?" Temari smirked playfully. The princess shook off the question with a nervous laugh.

Sakura was enjoying her time with them. She seemed to be accommodating well with everyone, seeing how casual their conversations are. Maybe this place isn't so bad after all - she noted as she held a cup of tea to drink. But as soon as she took a sip of the tea, her eyes widened as realisation hit her. She had completely forgotten that she was in danger. This cup of tea had been drugged. It wasn't deadly or anything, it was just a sleeping drug. Since Sakura studied all the different types of herbs and poison, she could easily tell by their taste and smell. And since the latter was covered up by the aroma of the tea, she could only tell by its taste. Ha, it's about time they started their assault - she mused with a smirk.

Her hands grazed Sasuke's sleeve as he turned to face her. Somehow, without her uttering a single word, he had understood what she meant just by staring into her large green eyes. Her intensive look meant that trouble had already started and she was going to face it. His eyes widened at her resolve but nodded in acknowledgement to her decision. He watched as the princess excused herself from the banquet and disappeared among the crowd. Was she going to be alright by herself? Tch, it's just too risky facing it alone. He was definitely going to get involved in this. After all, this banquet was getting boring with the dobe's ranting.

"Mitsuha-san, I don't feel so well" the kunoichi started as soon as she found the servant girl standing at the entrance of the ballroom. She noticed a subtle change in her expression. If she had blinked in that moment, she would've missed it. In that split second, she saw her lips formed into a slight smirk. It was as if she was expecting her to say that.

"Please follow me,your highness. You're probably just tired and in need of rest." said Mitsuha. The princess nodded her head slightly, feinting weakness. The drug had no effect on her at all. Maybe it was because she only took a small portion of it or she was immune to it. But she just couldn't care less about it.

She was led into a guestroom in the next building. Sakura stood in the middle of the room and watched as the handmaid closed the door behind her. She was watching the girl intently, anticipating her next move. She totally had this game in the bag-the drug hadn't affect her and she was in tip-top shape to fight.

It was then when something unexpected happened. Sakura's body was paralysed; she couldn't move a muscle at all. Sweat beaded down her porcelain face as she watched the servant girl lock the doors with a "click". _Damn...I've underestimated this situation._ She thought as the girl's lips stretched into a sinister smirk.

"Heh, did you seriously believe that it was going to be that easy?" Mitsuha spoke, her tone much more lower and sinister now. Sakura couldn't mouth a single word since all her muscles were paralysed. She realized that the sleeping drug was just a cover up for the real thing. This girl was clever, throwing her off like that.

"My sister was murdered by your people...she was beaten to death by officials just because she was a foreigner who committed a minor theft...And to think that you, an outsider,could step into this kingdom, let alone rule over it... That's unacceptable ."she continued to speak through gritted teeth. Sakura knew that the girl held a grudge against her. She also knew that tensions were high between the two kingdoms. However, she didn't know that such a thing as petty as that had occurred in her kingdom. Did people like Mitsuha's sister suffer that much when the tensions were still high? Were they still going to suffer even after the poltical marriage which was meant to dissolve the tensions?She started to feel sorry towards the young woman infront of her.

"Oh. I forgot you can't speak. It's alright though...I'll just have to end your life right now." The servant girl spoke as she walked slowly towards Sakura, pulling out a kunai from her sleeve.

The princess wasn't fazed by her though, for she was already purging the poison out of her system by pumping chakra in. It was a feat which only the best medics such as herself could manage. Her body could heal itself without her having to use her hands. She was definitely not going to be killed like this, she wasn't called the "Pink kunoichi" for nothing after all. Mitsuha was about a metre away from her as she began charging her fists with chakra, preparing to strike when the moment is right.

However, just as the girl took a step closer, a senbon pierced her neck and she dropped dead on the floor. Sakura instinctively ran to the girl to check her vitals, only to find out that the senbon had pierced a vital organ,killing her. She immediately stood up in a battle stance while searching the room for the culprit.

It was then she felt a sinister presence fill the room. A chill went down her spine as she saw the figure emerge from the white wall infront of her. His form was slimy, with long black hair and snake-like eyes directed at her. His long tongue licked his lips in delight, as if he was excited to devour his prey. Sakura knew exactly who he was...Tsunade-shishou's old teammate, Orochimaru.

"It's been a while, Sakura-chan" the man greeted slyly. She cringed at the sound of her name and glared at him in disgust. He became a rogue nin years ago, after the kingdom found out about his secret, that he had been conducting human experimentation. He had tried to kidnap her several times when she was a child, only to be stopped by Tsunade each time. It seems that Orochimaru had exploited Mitsuha's hatred to get to her. The servant girl was just acting upon his orders, only to be discarded away when she had served her purpose, which was to lure the princess to him. The poor girl was just his puppet...

"What do you want?" Sakura narrowed her eyes on the snake.Since he's been trying to kidnap her several times, there must be a reason behind it.

"Oh?They haven't told you yet?"He raised a brow at her question.

"What the hell do you mean?" she clenched her fists.

"Heh, you possess something that no one else has, which is what i desire."

"And that is?"she pressed on, desperately wanting to know the answer.

"You have the-"

Screech.

Sakura gasp in disbelief as blue streaks of lightning penetrated the man's body, high-pitched sounds echoed throughout the room. She spun around, emerald eyes landing on the young uchiha. His irises were no longer black and were blood red instead, with tomoes rotating. His lips formed a thin line as he zeroed in on Orochimaru.

"Chidori." His lightning-laced hand pierced right through his heart, ending his life once and for all. Once he made sure that the man was dead, he turned around to look at Sakura, who was still in shock.

"Hey. Are you alright?"Sasuke began,inspecting her body for any signs of injury.

"What...What the hell did you just do?" She glared at him with frustration, emerald eyes burning with fury. Sasuke frowned at her. She looks pissed. Very pissed.

 **A/N: So that concludes chapter 3. How did you find the interaction with the other characters? And what might Sakura possess that is so special? Please review!!**


	4. Chapter 4 - The aftermath

**A/N: Chapter 4 is finally here!!I'm sorry that it took longer than expected haha. But i guess the progress of this story will speed up after this chapter! Enjoy :)**

\--Chapter 4--

"What...What the hell did you just do?"

"I killed him." Sasuke simply stated, an eyebrow raising at her expression. He certainly had not expected the princess to be angry, since he had saved her from that man. He was on standby since the moment they entered the guest room. Although he knew that Sakura could manage just fine without his intervention, that man's chakra signature just felt so wrong on so many levels. They were lucky he didn't pulled any jutsus on them. Tch. What is she so mad about anyway? Wasn't it settled already?

"He's not dead."

"What?" He spoke, confused.

"Orochimaru is practically immortal. He can transfer bodies at any time." said Sakura as she pointed to the snake's body. "Look, he's already shedded his skin. That's just an empty shell now." The uchiha's eyes slowly travelled to the body, his eyes widened in bewilderment. He hadn't seen anything like this before. Well, he did look like a snake."Ah...so he's still alive."

"That's not the problem." she spoke through gritted teeth, fists clenching and unclenching.

"Then what is it?" Sasuke asked, unsure of where this was going.

"You. You're the problem. If you hadn't butted in, i would've found out why he's after me." she glared intently at the prince with frustration. "Since he escaped, I have to wait for god knows how long until the next time he comes. And i still don't know what he wants from me." Sakura took a deep breath in order to calm herself down.

Upon hearing this, the Uchiha averted his dark orbs from her. He wasn't the type to interfere with someone else's business- and she did tell him not to be involved. Since when was he such a busybody? The two were quiet for a moment as Sakura eyed the young man who seemed to be deep in thought.

"Hn. Then we'll just get him the next time he attacks." Sasuke shrugged, eyes locking on with her emerald ones . "What makes you so sure that we'll get him?"The princess mumbled, still bitter but in awe of his confidence. She was sure he was reflecting on his actions just a moment ago.

"Tch. Because you have me." he smirked confidently, causing her eyes to widen with surprise. So...that's his sole reason? Ha, this guy sure is reckless. Sure, he is an Uchiha -the famed clan blessed with a powerful bloodline- who is one of the strongest in this kingdom...Ah. That's why he's so confident.

"Aren't you the smug one." she laughed with glee, completely forgetting about her frustration. Sasuke rolled his eyes, surprised by her change in mood. What was so funny anyway?She sure is such a ball of energy...He watched as she cooled down from all that laughter before continuing.

"Anyways, I'll call the ANBU to clean up this mess." he turned to look at the bodies lying on the marbled floor. Sakura's eyes that were filled with tears of laughter seconds ago hardened as she turned her attention to the 2 bodies. She was filled with empathy, staring at the servant girl's lifeless body. God, she's been on such a emotional rollercoaster ride -and the day wasn't even over yet.

"I wanted her to have a second chance at life..." she muttered under her breath. She realised that many more people are going to be hurt because of her, as long as Orochimaru was still alive. Sakura looked back up to meet Sasuke's eyes. " A-Are you sure that you still want to be by my side, even though you're at risk of getting hurt or...killed?"

The prince,who somehow knew what she was thinking about, sighed in reaction to her insecurity. "As I've said, we'll definitely defeat him once and for all. Besides, there's no way i could leave your side, unless i want to start a political war."

"Heh...guess I'm stuck with you from today onwards."spoke the princess, faking disappointment.

"Hn. Get used to it." smirked the Uchiha as he extended his hand for her to hold. She smiled gently as she took hold of it. His hand was so warm, was it heated up by his Chidori? Sakura mused to herself as the prince led her out of the room.

"Alright, I'll investigate. For now, bring Sakura-san to the infirmary." spoke the head of the Anbu - Kakashi Hatake. His exposed eye skimmed through the report and eyed the couple. They weren't injured, given that these two may be the most powerful couple in the country. What a power couple...thought Kakashi, as Sasuke nodded his head while the princess smiled appreciatively.

"Ah. Before i forget...Congratulations on your marriage, Your highnesses" his eye crinkled, indicating that he was smiling behind his mask.

"Thank you, Kakashi-san" Sakura said shyly while Sasuke gave a "hn" as acknowledgement. With that, they left his office, giving him time to think.

Orochimaru huh...to think that he had migrated to this kingdom...Kakashi stared at the folder containing the details of the rogue ninja. He had encountered the man years ago, when Orochimaru had just defected from his country. Apparently, his goal was to obtain the royal family's kekkei genkai- the sharingan; and 8 year old Sasuke was just the perfect target. He soon escaped, knowing that he stood no chance against Itachi Uchiha - the young prodigy - and Kakashi himself -the famous copy ninja.

But...Why did he bother striking even though he knew he was going to lose?

Unless...it was a warning?

Kakashi leaned back against his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose, his eye never leaving that folder. He definitely didn't like where this was going.

"WHA-?Sakura-chan was attacked!?"

"Keep it down, dobe. It's not like she was hurt or anything." Shrugged the black haired prince as he took a seat on the couch in the tea room. The banquet had ended an hour after the incident,all the guests had left, except for Naruto Uzumaki.

"Sakura-chan, are you sure you're alright?" his sky-blue eyes staring worriedly at her face.

"According to Rin-san, I'm in perfect health ." assured Sakura as she did her best to calm the blonde man, earning a satisfying sigh of relief from him.

"But what does this Orochimaru guy want from you?"

"I don't know...i don't remember having any special trait or bloodline limit." the pink medic shook her head.

"He said you possessed something." stated Sasuke, clearly deep in thought.The room was silent for a moment as the trio furrowed their brows in an effort to find an explanation.

"It looks like..."started Naruto as he captured their attention, both looking at him expectantly.

"I've got nothing." he laughed sheepishly as Sasuke and Sakura let out a sigh in defeat.

"In any case, our main priority is to protect the princess." Their ears perked up at the familiar voice as they turned towards the doorway, where Kakashi stood at. The silver haired man went ahead and took a seat next to the blonde.

"That's for sure-ttebayo! Leave the protecting to us!" declared the uzumaki as he beamed with confidence - He definitely did not want anyone to hurt his best friend's wife. The said couple rolled their eyes simultaneously at the blonde's declaration. Sakura knew that she was capable of protecting herself-Sasuke knew that fact too, after that spar earlier on. But...who knew how strong this enemy was? They couldn't risk any chances and let their guard down.

"Sasuke, i need you to stay by Sakura-san's side at all costs. That shouldn't be an issue though, since you're married and all..." laughed the Copy ninja, earning a slight blush from the both of them. Wait a second, both of them? Sasuke? Blushing? The arrogant Uchiha was blushing!? Even though it was only for a split second, Kakashi had seen him tense up with a tint of pink dusting his pale cheeks. Sasuke's former teacher smirked behind his mask. There was finally a subject to tease the Uchiha prince with.

"Ah." The prince responded as he slumped in his couch, clearly tired out from today's activities. The wedding, spar, banquet...and that encounter with Orochimaru. What an eventful day it was. All Sasuke wanted right now was to sleep - in his own,comfy,bed - Crap. He's not sleeping alone anymore. He glanced at Sakura, who was giggling at whatever the blonde had said. Was she even aware of this yet?

"Oh." muttered Sakura under her breath, which was clearly heard by the raven-haired man. They were at the doorstep of a bedroom - their bedroom - when realisation hit her. They were going to sleep in the same room from this day onwards.

"What's wrong?" asked the uchiha in a cool voice. But, he wasn't actually cool-headed at the moment. He was just as anxious as she was. Just yesterday he was sleeping alone on his own king-sized bed and enjoying his single life. He should have cherished those moments, which were now gone forever.

"N-Nothing. It's just that...you know...same bed and all…" she spoke as she fumbled with her kimono.

"Ha? The kingdom's greatest medic nin, strongest kunoichi is afraid of sharing a bed with-"

"S-Shut up." she cut his sentence off, thoroughly embarrassed by it. Sasuke smirked, clearly amused by her facial expression. Maybe sharing a room wasn't so bad after all.

Tch. Why does he keep mocking her? Doesn't he feel just as awkward as she was? Though, it wasn't her first time sleeping next to the opposite gender, she had done so on many missions. Although she was a princess, she wasn't a sheltered one. She had chosen the shinobi way of life instead of being just a powerless girl protected by guards. Despite her parents' worries, Sakura's determination and hard work enabled her to move up in ranks. And Tsunade's mentorship allowed her to excel in medical ninjutsu. Hell, she surpassed her mentor at the age of 15! Now that she thought through it, why was she afraid of sharing a bed with a guy? Sakura's rational thinking erased all her embarrassment as she regained her composure.

"Let's just go and wash up." she rolled her eyes at Sasuke who still had a smug look on his face. The sudden change in her attitude left him dumbfounded. "Heh, she recovers fast." Thought the Uchiha as he watched her disappear into the bathroom. He needed to change out of this attire too. It's uncomfortable.

 **A/N: And that's a wrap for chapter 4! I've finally finished day 1 of their encounter. Longest day ever HAHA! What do you think of that brief Team 7 moment? In my opinion, i think Kakashi's the biggest sasusaku supporter HAHAHA. Please rate and review!**

 **(Legend says that if one receives MANY reviews, the next chapter will arrive faster)**


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